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Mountains of Southwest China
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Biome type: temperate coniferous forest and alpine mountain
Location: China- between eastern edge of Tibetan plateau and central
Chinese plane
GIS: Latitude: 22˚~ 32˚ 05’N. Longitude: 97˚ ~ 103˚ E
Climate: varies because of difference in height of the ground
Precipitation: 400-1,000 mm a year depending on the location.
Terrain: Ranges from less than 2,000 meters to 7,558 meters
Landmass: over 262,400 km².
Biome
Forests:
The mountains of southwest China have a large amount of habitats within
it’s wide spread region. The hotspot is mostly coniferous forest, or pine
tree forests, which are cold year round but still have short periods of time
without snow and frost. The northern boundary and Yunnan province at the
southern area of the hotspot are examples of these temperate coniferous
forests.
Mountains:
The mountain peaks of Sichuan,
Yunnan, Xizang and the tallest
mountain Gongs Shan are some of
the areas covered in permanent snow
and ice year round. These areas
receive as much as 1,000 mm of
precipitation a year, whereas other
areas that lay in the shadow of the
mountains may only receive about
400 mm of precipitation a year.
1o.
Pictured above is a shot of the forest-covered mountains.
Rivers:
The hotspot is also home to many rivers and tributaries that start
or flow through its region and empty into the South China Sea. These
rivers are rich in biodiversity, in fact the rivers in the hotspot are known
as the most species-rich river systems in Asia. Some of these rivers
include Jingshajiang, Yalongjiang, Daduhe, and Minjiang. (Conservation
International)
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Biome
Pictured above is one of the many rivers located in the mountains of southwest China.
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Biodiversity
The mountains of Southwest China are very rich in biodiversity; it is arguably
one of the most diverse biomes in the world. This is due to the extreme range of
topography in the hotspot.
Birds: There are more than 600 different
species of birds in the mountains of
southwest China. Of all these different
species, there is only one bird that is
endemic to the area, the white-speckled
laughing thrush (Garrulax bieti) (pictured at
right).
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Mammals: More than
Fish: There are 90 different species of
230 species of mammals
live in the hotspot, 7 of
which are endemic. The
red panda or Ailurus fulgent
(pictured at left) is one of
the endemic species to the
mountains of southwest
China
freshwater-fish in the river systems of
the region, 23 are endemic to the area.
There are two genera of fish that only
live in the hotspot; most of the
endemic fish are from these genera
including Schizothorax and
Triplophysa.
Reptiles: Despite the fact
that the mountains of
southwest China are
constantly at a cold
temperature, a surprising
amount of reptiles live within
the hotspot. More than 90
species of reptiles, including
a little over 20 species of
lizards and over 70 species
of snakes, live in the
mountains. 15 of these
species are endemic to the
area. Pictured in the upper
right is the Kingdonward's
bloodsucker (Calotes
kingdonwardi) one of the
endemic lizards.
Amphibians: There is also a
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shocking amount of
amphibians in the mountains
despite the cold temperatures.
Some of the 90 species of
amphibians even live in the
higher regions of the
mountains where the weather
is colder and more dangerous
to cold-blooded animals. Of
the 8 endemic species the
Chevron-spotted brown frog
or Rana chevronta (pictured at
lower left) is known to live in
Mount Emei and has not been
seen since 1983.
(Conservation International)
Biodiversity continued…
Plants: the Mountains of southwest China is said to be the most
botanically rich areas in the world. There are 12,000 species of
plants documented in the area and it is believed that there is more
that have yet to be discovered. This hotspot contains roughly 40%
of China’s plant species and 3,500 species are endemic to the
region, including 20 genera that are only found in the mountains.
Pictured below is a bush of rhododendron
flowers
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The region is also home to a
few ancient plant species
that can be found nowhere
else in the world. This would
include the genera of
Rhododendron, Rhodiola,
Kingdonia, and Circaeaster.
230 different species of the
Rhododendron genus live
within the hotspot and are
rare and endemic to the
area. (Conservation International)
Panda Problems!
Your favorite cuddly friends are in big danger of becoming extinct!
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Pandas are one of the most endangered animals in the world,
with a tiny population of only 1,600 at recent count, the big
gentle bears are in danger of becoming extinct. Many years of
urban expansion, bamboo harvesting and agriculture
conversion has left the panda’s habitat to a very limited area.
Poaching and illegal wildlife trade is also impacting the
numbers of the bears left in their natural habitat.
China’s government has established over 50 panda
reserves, which are currently protecting 45% of the remaining
population, but the bears outside of the reserves are still in
danger from habitat destruction.
What you can do to help.
The WWF (World Wildlife Fund) is accepting
donations to their fund to help save the giant panda. The money
goes towards funding for nature reserve protection, community
development, and research and monitoring work. Spread the
word to your friends and family and help save the pandas!
(WWF)
Human Impacts
Introduction: Human interactions are dangerously impacting this hotspot and it is
currently in danger of loosing all of it’s natural rescources and biodiversity
The forests of the
mountains, specifically in the
Sichuan province of China,
have faced severe logging
issues. Sichuan is a major
producer of timber for
China, and the province had
resorted to chopping down
trees in the mountains after
clearing most of the
woodlands in other parts of
the area. This deforestation
lead to a 6.4% drop of forest
cover in the Sichuan region
of the mountains in less than
40 years resulting in a ban
on commercial logging was
placed into effect in 1998.
Despite this ban though,
non-commercial logging still
takes place in the area.
Wood is used for fires and
building houses and the
amount of deforestation from
this may exceed the logging
from before the ban.
A population boom
greatly effected the
environment in the hotspot.
Roads, housing, and tourism
have caused a lot of
deforestation and harmful
factors to the surrounding
environment.
Steep slopes that lack
forest cover and the needs
The three gorges dam is the
largest dam in the world. It was
built on the Yangtze River, a
major river flowing through the
southwest mountains of China.
This dam has flooded 13 cities,
14 towns, and 1,340 villages; 1.2
million people were displaced,
which means that they had to
leave their home with no
guarantee of finding a new
place to live. Mines, factories,
and dumps that were
submerged in the water from
the dam are polluting the
environment, land is being
eroded and creating dangerous
land slides down stream.
Fisheries are in danger of
loosing business and habitat of
the animals and plants in the
mountains are being destroyed
due to this dam and more that
are clogging up the major rivers
of the area. No positive impacts
are being done to fix the 11
problem at the time but
organizations like International
Rivers are fundraising to help
both the environment and
people of the area. (Critical
Ecosystem)
Pictured above is the three gorges dam.
Conservation Actions
Many areas in the mountains of southwest China are under
strict protection laws or reserves. 5.3% of the hotspot is
covered in protected areas but only about 1.4% of which are
protected under the IUCN (International Union for
Conservation of Nature). One of the most well known reserves
is the Wolong Nature Reserve for giant pandas and about
4,000 plant species.
Emei Shan (pictured at
right) is a protected
limestone mountain
found in the hotspot. The
mountain is said to be
one of the most
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botanically richest and
most diverse mountains
in the northern
hemisphere. The Emei
Shan Natural and
Historical Heritage
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Reserve is the only
known site of two of the
endangered amphibians
located on the
Recently,
mountains.
It’sthree
alsoreserves
one were expanded and connected to
form the Three Parallel Rivers World Heritage Site (pictured
of the only places the
above), which provides protection for the many different ridges
Tibetan
macaque
and
valleys
and their highly distinctive flora.
(Macaca
thibetana)
can
In order to protect
biodiversity, areas of the hotspot that
contain
a high amount of species that are both endemic and
be seen.
endangered are treated as one project or Key Biodiversity Area
(KBA). Some organizations that are helping to protect these KBA’s
would include: Conservation International-China, Peking
University, WWF (World Wildlife Fund), TNC (The Nature
Conservation Actions Continued…
Chinese governments have also set a ban to logging the
area, one of the most destructive actions to the environment, and
placed laws down including a Land Conversion Program. The
Land Conversion Program, also known as the Grain to Green
Policy, bans agriculture use on steep slopes, a ban on forest
clearing, and specific species protection acts. The program is
aiming to use more native vegetation as crops including fruit
and pine trees to promote more biodiversity-friendly habitats.
Despite all of the reserves, more still needs to be done to
protect the area. Five major rivers start within the hotspot
meaning the area holds a lot of watershed value that is not
protected. If the rivers become polluted, all of Asia will be
affected.Outcomes
(Conservation International)
Future
If nothing changes:
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If people continue to help:
The Three gorges dam
will continue to destroy
the hotspot.
Biodiversity will reach a
critical low.
Giant pandas will become
extinct.
Many cultures and lives of
the people in the region
will be lost.
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Biodiversity of the region
will not be lost.
Trees in the region will
grow back and habitats for
animals will expand.
The rivers that begin in the
hotspot will stay clean and
useable for all surrounding
areas.
Endangered species will
start to thrive again.
Photo Credit:
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http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5115/5896525475_dd3eeaf995_z.jpg
http://www.conservation.org/where/priority_areas/hotspots/asia-pacific/Mountains-of-Southwest-China/Pages/default.aspx
http://orientalbirdimages.org/images/data/bietslaugher.jpg
http://smashingpicture.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Red_Panda_3.jpg
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mountains+of+southwest+china&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=B1C3EFB821EA92EBA3A19EC7A80A43D514F5
F8CB&selectedIndex=5
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4123/4886837209_90a92f1da5.jpg
..http://wdfw.wa.gov/ais/graphics/species_images/rana_chaochiaoensis.jpg
. http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/PhotoGallery/GiantPandas/photos/20040501-465AB.jpg
. http://www.cepf.net/SiteCollectionImages/506x180/506x180_china_ruorgai.jpg
http://blog.conservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/china-mountains.jpg
http://blog.cleantech.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/800_ap_three_gorges_dam_china_110521.jpg
http://www.gregmillerbirding.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/rhododendron-with-Boyd-School-House-2011-05-29.jpg
http://www.akgates.co.uk/holidays/china/photos/day09emeishan01.JPG
http://img.cits.net/images/2011/8/2/16161616e9d26037-7.jpg
Activities
Vocab:
1. Biodiversity: range of organisms in environment: the range of
organisms present in a particular ecological community or system.
1. Topography: area's features: the features on the surface of an area of
land
Endemic: living in defined geographic area: describes a species of
organism that is confined to a particular geographic region such as an
island or river basin
Genera (plural of genus): group: a class or group of any kind
Botanically (Botanic): of plants: relating to plants, especially to the
scientific study of plants
Review:
1. What are three endemic species to the Mountains of Southwest
China?
2. Name four rivers located in the hotspot.
3. What is the biggest danger to the well being of the Mountains
of Southwest China?
4. In your words, explain what biodiversity means.
5. What other factors would affect the population and
endangerment of giant pandas in the mountains.
Citations:
Conservation International. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Dec. 2013.
<http://www.conservation.org/where/priority_areas/hotspots/asiapacific/Mountains-of-Southwest-China/Pages/default.aspx>.
Critical Ecosystem. Conservation International, n.d. Web. 3 Jan. 2014.
<http://www.cepf.net/where_we_work/regions/asia_pacific/southwest_chin
a/Pages/default.aspx>.
WWF. WWF, n.d. Web. 3 Jan. 2014.
<http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/giant_panda/?src
=footer>.